CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

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CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

How will climate change impact on agriculture & forestry?

Climate change could have an effect on both agriculture and forestry, changing the conditions for crop and plant growth and in turn food supply, increasing the pressure on soil and water availability as well as farming methods with a reliance on fertilisers or other chemical products.

Forest ecosystems will also be affected. Climatic changes will have consequences for the frequency of pests and disease outbreaks (biotic disturbances) and bring changes in wild fire occurrence or veracity as well as in wind storm frequency and intensity (abiotic disturbances).

How Copernicus can help

Its monitoring and data collection services help assess agricultural land use and trends, together with crop conditions and yield forecasts, anticipating swings in the markets and therefore supporting the governance of 'price and food' crises.

Copernicus will also help users fulfil their reporting obligations towards national and international policies, by detecting, mapping and assessing changes in forestry, while monitoring clear-cuts and assessing forest density and health.